Tales of the Sky
by SubZeroChimera
Summary: An 'epic/ballad' version of the Megaman Zero series, this poem is a reference for one of my other fics. Probably will not make sense, but I'd suggest reading the description inside for more detail if you're interested. Rated T for safety, more like K .
1. Tales of the Sky

Disclaimer: All characters, if you can figure out who is who, are copyright of CAPCOM.

Chimera's notes: well, what do you know? I finally finished this %$#ing thing! Wow... just, wow.

Anyways, this (severely extended) poem is a reference for my main story, Happy Anniversary (which may or may not have its name changed at some point). It is a poeticized (is that a word?) version of the Megaman Zero series, plus a bit. I know it doesn't make much sense, but that's how its supposed to be. Why? Well, you be the judge. Also, it's written so it can fit logically into the HA plot, AKA it's as if you were reading it if it were an actual historical document or book, not just a fan-poem. Anyways, here you go, Tales of the Sky! It's not the best, but there it is!

I'm gonna go flop somewhere now... *whump*

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Foreward:

The Tales of the Sky is an epic that has been passed down for many generations among human and reploids alike. Perhaps because of the fact that the true author is unknown, perhaps because it is simply a good story. Many different versions of this tale have been told, this one being, indisputably, the most pure. Some say that these tales were meant merely to teach children moral values, others believe that they may contain a secret meaning, and still others say that the original form of the story is nothing less than an original, historical document created for the purpose of preserving a truly incredible yet tragic account from 200 years ago. No proof of any of these suspicions has been uncovered. It has been noted, however, that there are other tales said to be connected to the below story, especially those concerning the "red demon" or "God of Destruction" (The critic's edition of this story contains many of these stories). However, no evidence has ever been found to prove these rumors, and so, they remain mere speculation. Make of these texts what you will. For your reading enjoyment, may I present to you the original Tales of the Sky.

~Master Mikhail.

_**Tales of the Sky**_

_Prologue_

Long ago, in ancient times,  
when heroes were born or heroes died,  
when the only stories passed were rhymes,  
one lone soul stood out and sighed.

The land had suffered many wars,  
all places death had come and dined,  
forever marred by telltale scars  
both in body and in mind.

The Hero's past was kept unknown,  
his fate was still uncertain.  
Mind made up, he strayed from home,  
left to the darkness like a curtain.

The war raged on despite his caution,  
it stayed despite his trials,  
as if by the devil's own promotion,  
it stayed for years, for miles.

Then an enemy unlike any other  
to the forsaken land came,  
born solely to love slaughter,  
many victims he did claim.

The Hero came back to his role,  
and along with his Friend,  
banished the Red Demon's black soul  
to the place of no beginning, no end.

The one who had created  
such a destructive creature,  
was punished, and with justice sated,  
the Hero left his Friend and Teacher.

So slept the great Hero for a century, his legend spoken for many years,  
but how could he have known, despite his deeds, the land was still full of tears?

_Chapter One_

Dreams left the Hero suddenly,  
his memories went right with them,  
sleep baned, he wakened fully,  
but who was this before him?

A young woman, hunted,  
Sky to the Birds that she led.  
He got up, then grunted,  
the other option was to be dead!

So the Hero saved the Sky,  
and brought her to her home,  
the leader of those who wanted to try  
to get the right to freely roam.

He fought for her,  
to free the oppressed  
from their unrighteous torture,  
he always did his best!

Four more heroes soon did show,  
their loyalties mislaid,  
Fire, Water, Wind and Shadow,  
the Birds became afraid.

But not the hero, his sword in hand,  
he went to fight them for his friends,  
defeated them in their own land,  
they left, lest they meet their ends.

The true Oppressor came to view,  
the Hero left to stop him,  
from nowhere, the Teacher sent him to  
the proper place, on a whim.

It turned out they wanted him trapped,  
all the heroes had to duel,  
Shadow chose to die as his energy sapped,  
a noble death, yet cruel.

So the Hero went on to meet the one,  
the Oppressor that ruled paradise,  
and with the three false heroes told to begone,  
the fight started in a trice.

The Oppressor and the Hero battled,  
The Hero won the first round,  
but even the great Hero was rattled,  
when a tainted Angel rose from the ground!

The false Angel struck,  
the Hero dodged and run,  
until, finally, some luck;  
the Hero won!

With the Oppressor destroyed, the Birds sang for their Hero, one and all,  
but their Hero, wanted for his crime, could not hear their call.

_Chapter Two_

One year spent in agony,  
in deserts harsh and wide,  
the end of the Oppressor's tyranny  
not the end, no matter how hard he tried.

His hopes to live were very slim  
the sands eroded his mind,  
yet some memories did come to him,  
none of which were very kind.

Soon appeared an enemy,  
so he fought on in the unending sun,  
but after a long battle, he  
found that he could not go on.

'Twas on Green Wind they say,  
that the Hero came back home,  
the Birds did shout, hurray!  
He no longer had to roam.

So on he fought for his allies,  
to help out at their new nest,  
still loyal as if he was Sky's,  
once again, he proved the best.

A Jealous leader,  
old friend of the Bird's,  
for ideas of revolt he was seeder,  
they made to leave in herds.

The Hero went to stop him,  
But his efforts were in vain,  
for when he had got to them,  
all the herd was slain.

Angered at the bloody mess,  
possessed to gain revenge,  
the Jealous One hunted down the Darkness,  
like a vulture to the scavenge.

The Hero went to follow,  
trying to avert the fate,  
trying to avoid the sorrow  
but alas, he was too late.

The Teacher sat calm,  
unknowing this was his last day,  
the Jealous One's great wrong,  
when the Teacher he did slay.

Darkness crept from the Teacher,  
a curse he'd died to seal away,  
it engulfed the Jealous creature,  
in his heart it held all sway.

A battle of will and sword,  
the Hero fought the Jealous One,  
who, without a will of his own accord  
could never truly have won.

The curse left momentarily  
Jealous died on the cold ground,  
his spirit left, before she  
was cursed again, left without a sound.

The Darkness was gone, but he hadn't saved the world,  
not yet, for evil had only just stirred...

_Chapter Three_

Strange energy came from a frozen land,  
the Birds set out to find it,  
the Hero met the other heroes and  
the path to his foe was lit.

The Evil Lord from long ago,  
the Destructive One at his side,  
and a false Oppressor, laid low,  
reborn to serve the one that lied.

So the Hero fought again,  
against those he'd already felled,  
but despite his work and pain,  
evil intentions welled.

The Cursed Darkness returned,  
brought with it its two young,  
Evil Lord wanted them, yearned,  
the Hero's trials had just begun!

Many died for the Evil Lord,  
when he took the Darkness for himself,  
then he sent the Oppressor with his horde  
to attack the Birds without stealth!

The Hero fought the enemy,  
he won upon that day, the same!  
But then the Hero was forced to see  
that it was all a part of the Lord's game.

Now in control, the Evil Lord  
filled the hearts of all with despair,  
it could only be countered with the Hero's sword,  
when he found the Evil Lord's lair.

He fought through the guards, faced his foes,  
and the monster the Lord sent at him,  
he won, but the monster's throes,  
were not for death, things were grim.

The monster, Red Demon,  
gained power from the Darkness,  
wanted the Hero to fight him,  
and the Hero gave him a definite yes.

But Darkness's wings spread before him,  
there appeared both tusks and horns,  
a mane like golden-silver sin,  
the God of Destruction, his final form!

So similar to the Hero,  
yet different in every detail,  
a ghost of the past, a violent foe,  
a force that only the Lord dared to hail.

They fought an epic battle, no longer a game,  
were evenly matched to the end,  
until Wind, Water and Fire came  
and helped the Hero, their war-bred friend.

Wind, Water and Fire were sacrificed, the God of Destruction was dead and gone,  
But the Hero wasn't done yet, the Evil Lord had lived on.

_Chapter Four_

In the wasteland hot and wide,  
some Birds did leave their wood  
led by their leader Sky,  
to help out where they could.

They travelled far from where they'd hid,  
to help with word or sword,  
and help they really did,  
those fleeing from the Lord.

Upon being saved,  
the freed ones said in disgust,  
"it's all your fault we were hurt and slaved,"  
and they left without trust.

The Birds did leave but deemed,  
to try and save them still,  
from enemies that schemed  
like wolves up on a hill.

An attack came suddenly,  
took one of them, the Leader, away,  
left them wondering,  
why that Leader should even stay.

Heedless of their doubt,  
the Hero took on the Soldier alone,  
with his sword and honour stout,  
and took the Leader home.

Trust they were given,  
and hope they regained,  
but more evil had risen,  
and more work to be pained.

When all the enemies were dead,  
and they thought they'd won,  
The Evil Lord's plan came, the Dread,  
stunning everyone.

But the Soldier would rebel,  
destroyed the Lord in a blur,  
so the Hero went to quell  
and kill, the misguided Soldier.

But even when the deed was done,  
Dread returned again,  
the war was strange, had to be won,  
Before Dread brought unending pain.

And so the Hero fought  
boarding upon the Dread  
then the world was distraught,  
When the Lord again bared his head!

Again the two did duel,  
But even the Hero could not stop,  
a fate most cruel,  
All would become aught.

But the Hero rose still,  
even as nearer his end roared,  
and he our hopes did fill,  
by slaying that Dread Lord!

But no one knows what happened during, after, that minute and hour,  
only that the Hero's life was lost, and the Sky wept like a flower.

_Epilogue_

Without the heroes of old,  
the Sky did weep and mourn.  
But she was never told  
that she should stop, move on.

The world moved on,  
and so did she,  
Sky remained strong  
there was such peace.

But if ever a time would come,  
there were no heroes there,  
should ever the Lord or another one  
return and bring despair.

So Sky prepared for such a day  
by creating a defence,  
and sealing it away,  
but would they know to use with sense?

And so she did decide, in her aged, tear-filled eyes,  
to tell her tale to the future and the skies.

So future, please, remember Sky's Tale, and never forget,  
the ones we lost that you knew, and the ones we lost that you never met.

You're free to love, you're free to weep,  
the future is yours, to have, and to keep,

And as my name is Sky, you may take it from me,  
The most beautiful word in the world is, "free".


	2. Tales of the Sky Critic's Edition

Dear reader,

By purchasing and/or reading this book, you are now immersing yourself in an ages old riddle. I believe an introduction is in order.

By itself, Tales of the Sky is a tragic story filled with both morals and lessons for our generation, and future generations to come. However that's all it is, just a story... or is it?

In certain areas of the world, including one remote village in particular (which shall remain nameless due to a request for privacy), there are many different children's songs that warn of dark times to come. Normally, such a thing would be shrugged off; after all, teaching children to sing is an easy task, and can double as a way for a child to teach itself to be wary of something. It is interesting to note that some of these little limericks, however, have a common theme of ambiguity and a similar villain.

There are many other poems, recognized as literary pieces, that also have these themes and characters. Coincidence? Many think not.

In the world of scholars and historians, there's no greater treasure, nothing that would bring more fame to the finder, than the truth of what happened during the period called the "blank period", a time where it seems few to no important historical texts of the time survived. We find much information about before and after this period, but the actual blank period, dated roughly from mid 20xx to late 22xx, is almost a complete mystery. What great occasion happened, so profound, that no historical texts about the time could survive, or were not even made in the first place? Was it something so horrific that the leaders of the era wiped it from history? Or was it simply so unimportant that no one bothered to record it? Although, how could it be unimportant when our hunters and archeologists are constantly uncovering new things every day? Perhaps, then, did they record it in such a way that we can't find it? Or, have yet to find it?

These are the questions that many scholars, myself included, spend most of our time pondering when there's probably something more constructive we could be doing (or so say a few of my colleagues, at least).

Ah, but I ramble. The reason why Tales of the Sky is so profound to many scholars is by one fact; it, even though there is no hard evidence to support it, almost seems to be such a lost historical document! Over the course of many discoveries, a good amount of ancient poems, songs, riddles and so on, have been uncovered. While any bystander might think that poems and stories have no relation to history, it is the uncanny network created by these poems that incites historical interest. Many of these works contain similar characters, a prominent example of this being the ever-feared Red Demon. Why, if these were just unrelated, non-historical texts, would they all feature the same character? The same terror haunting their words as it might have haunted those that wrote them?

To simply write off such a profound, widespread coincidence is impossible. It could be that the characters involved were simply very popular, perhaps from another story of the time. But, if it was just a story, why the ambiguity? Why such a variety of literature?

As such, the _critic's edition_ of Tales of the Sky has a compilation of a few of the more noticeable texts. Make of these writings what you will. Nothing has been done to change them; they are in the rawest form that could be found.

Multiple theories have surfaced regarding these scripts. Some of these theories may be discussed in the following texts. However, this book has been written to neither approve nor disprove these.

To the discerning eye, I bring you Tales of the Sky; Critic's Edition. May your research of these words prove fruitful in whichever endeavour you aim.

Sincerely,

~Master Mikhail

X X X X X

Author's note; Ah, children. Many times we hear their little voices singing out of happiness. Most often, though, when we hear them sing, it is because they are playing the ages-old game of skip-the-rope. Skipping, for short. Boys and girls alike sing little tunes, unafraid of being heard when they skip-the-rope. In fact, it's seen as practical, for it keeps the rhythm of the jumper and the swinger of the rope. One such song speaks of a popular superstition, Omega. Omega is the name of a dangerous omen, one that often means pain and death to the person unfortunate enough to come across the final symbol in the ancient greek alphabet. While superstition is usually set aside by most scholars, the fact that this particular skip-the-rope rhyme dates back to a similar time as other poems in this text is something to note. For whatever reasons, that particularly undocumented segment of history and stories of a great "God of Destruction" seem to have ties to the superstitions of Omega. Perhaps, then, it is more than a symbol? Perchance even a name! Alas, we may never know.

**Omega**

Omega, Omega,

I wonder if you've heard,

Omega, Omega,

Of this most awful word?

Fortune foul, fortune foul,

The darkest sign of all,

Fortune foul, fortune foul,

Pray you don't hear it's call!

Destroyer, destroyer,

If this shadow does loom,

Destroyer, destroyer,

You may yet meet your doom!

If you hear of its coming, do not stay, do not stay,

Take your family and go, run away, run away!

X X X X X

Author's note; the next poem has the longest accurately documented history of all the ones contained within Tales of the Sky; Critic's Edition. It may be interesting to the passive observer that this poem originates around the same nameless mountain village mentioned earlier. Curiously, it dates back all the way to an event called "the Cataclysm" by some. While this may not seem to have much to do with other poems in this book, there is mention of a "Red Demon," perhaps the same one that appeared in Tales of the Sky. Ah, but back to the Cataclysm! As far as we know, it is viewed as an event where many lives were apparently lost, but with no information as to the cause. It's a mystery that countless scholars and learned men and women have pondered until their deaths. Hopefully, our next poem may one day shed light upon it.

**Echoes from an Explosion**

Fire fire, all I see,

Burning around me, me,

I hear cries, cries,

No time for goodbyes, byes,

It's like a sea, sea,

Red blood around me, me

I see his eyes, eyes,

Burning with lies, lies,

It won't hurt he told me, me,

He lies from the top of the tree, tree,

I look up to the skies, skies,

Something strange there flies, flies,

Hope fills me, me,

As he frowns from the tree, tree,

He aims up at the skies, to where the thing flies,

His attention away from me, I can and will flee,

Then my ears clear

And I'm outta here!

I run to my home,

Tell all what I've known,

I told them the things I had to see,

The burning place and bloody sea,

I told of the red demon that looked up to the skies,

Where the little blue hero and his dog friend flies.

X X X X X

Author's note; Speaking of the cataclysm, it's a popular subject indeed! Countless works of literature refer to that period of time. If I were to reference them all, then I would surely run out of space in this book with which to place any other content! Another well known legend, passed on by word of mouth, comes from this period. It is the story of the Mega Man, a hero said to arise whenever the world is in peril. It is perhaps the most believed ancient legend of all. Even today, proof of it exists in the very Mega Men that walk among us! However, in contrast to the stories of old, of which there are innumerable amounts, the Mega Men of our day come in a large variety. According to most stories, the Mega Man of old was always blue, and there was only ever one.

Most peculiarly, there are two blue Mega Men nowadays. One, known as Model X, the other, Model L. What does that say for the history of the stories, then? Was there actually more than one Mega Man? Or, were more Mega Men added after a certain point in history, which our best estimates guess to have taken place approximately two to three hundred years ago?

No one can doubt the startling coincidence between the Mega Man of old and the Mega Men of today. It's hard to conceive that the title is common. Perhaps these newer Mega Men were based upon the older one, in hopes that the Mega Men would strive to bring the world into a new era of peace? We may never know. The following story can be tracked having been told for hundreds of years in various ways, but no definite original can be found. Neither can an original date for when this story first started be found. So instead, a popular sub-version of the story has been documented in this book. Read and enjoy.

**When we need him, he will come**

When the world does fall to ruin,

When all who live despair,

When all who walk the earth do weep,

When no stranger seems to care,

When crime runs rampant in the streets,

When children go to war,

When blood flows as free as water

When we break the words we swore

When we need him, he will come,

The blue one's name none shall forget,

When we need him, he will come,

A Mega Man will fight for us yet.

When we need him, he will come,

Believe in miracles, like you believe in the setting sun,

For when we need him, a hero will come.

X X X X X

Author's note; The God of Destruction. The name itself imposes of a terrible deity who would wreak vengeance upon anyone foolish enough to anger him. Thought to also be known as the Red Demon, he serves a great role in Tales of the Sky, as he is a character who provides a great deal of resistance against the heroes of the story. This next poem is yet another account of him, from another poem altogether. Why was this character so widespread? We've yet to find out.

**My Wife is Gone, God of Destruction**

I said he'd come,

she laughed.

And he did come,

she cried.

He turned to her,

she died.

God of Destruction.

I told of war,

she laughed

I warned of gore,

she cried.

And when she saw him,

she died.

God of Destruction.

I took her away,

he laughed.

I warned you not to stay

he cried.

As he turned away

another comrade died.

God of destruction.

When they found me

I laughed.

When I told them my story

I cried.

Still alive I wondered,

Why had they all died?

God of Destruction.

X X X X X

Afterword:

Characters in the Tales of the Sky are hard to find. Whomever wrote the book wrote it in a way as to _hide _the characters, as implausible as it may seem, and only an intense scrutiny of the texts will reveal them. The Teacher, the Oppressor (who some believe to also be the Angel), the Jealous One, Darkness, the Evil Lord, Fire, Water, Wind and Shadow, and so many more. Even the Sky seems to be a character. The only reason these characters were found is a curious tale.

A young child, having just learned of nouns, decided to read the story to their friend. Upon reading it, the pair noticed the strange use of capital letters repeating in certain places, on the same words in a fairly logical pattern. That is, if the oddly capitalized words were, in fact, names or titles, not merely words. They pointed this out to their teacher, a part-time scholar of the unknown period of history where this story is believed to have originated. From there the observation snowballed, even receiving some coverage on a national news program.

But then that begs the question; why were the names so well concealed? Perhaps the writer wanted to be cryptic, just for the whim of it. Or perhaps, the unknown history was not an accident or a catastrophe, as some believe, but an actual attempt of the population to erase some dark secret of the times? If that were the case, hiding the names so that the story could be told, without fear of retribution, was an intelligent act of the author. Alas, the author, in their absolute determination to tell this story, hid even their own name in the veils of obscurity.

But again, we may look to the observations of the children from before. The book is titled Tales of the Sky, most likely because it is an account of the character Sky. If that is the case, then perhaps Sky themself was the author? She (for female pronouns in the first few lines of Chapter One suggest that, if they were a person, Sky would have been female) appears to have had a leading role in the events of Tales of the Sky, therefore she would have had more motive than usual to have this tale survive.

Whatever the reason for it, Tales of the Sky is a mysterious story indeed. It conspicuously dances around its own plot while pointing at it like we should all know what it is. Actually, it's rather a humorous scenario when you think about it. We can only imagine how profound the story of Tales of the Sky is. Alas, we lack the base knowledge to understand its secret meaning. It's like we're staring at a history book and don't even know whether its right-side up or up-side down. Any ordinary adult would feel idiotic looking at it; it _is_ a children's story, after all.

And with that, we leave you with our final, shortest poem of Tales of the Sky; Critic's Edition. This poem was hastily scribbled in the back of the _original_ Tales of the Sky, and is rumored to have been the last words of a dying seer. A prophecy of the darkest nature, if it is to be true. And yet, with the undoubtedly cryptic nature of the book, can we hold it true? Or, like so many other things in this world, is it just another false entity? Another misty mirage to be looked at, feared, yet be nothing more than a dusty cloud of sand whirling in the desert?

Again, we may never know.

I leave you now, critics of this book, and hope that our world will be a brighter place than the world contained within the chapters of this book.

_So shall thy Eternity fall and burn,_

_upon the day of the Demon's return._


	3. Tales of the Sky, inside back cover

___Recently scratched in the back of the original Tales of the Sky__, translated from old text,_

Take it from me  
one who can see  
from an ancient point of view.  
The Demon's returned,  
Eternity's burned,  
and the Snake went and died too.

Since one was the other,  
they fell trying to smother  
me, as I came out to your world.  
You all look at me,  
but you fools don't really see,  
I'm destruction about to unfurl!

So come one and all,  
be you great or you small  
I dare you to take me on!  
Do you think you can stand,  
in front of me, when I am,  
history's ancient Red Demon!


End file.
